Central House capitalises on Flyer’s absence

THE Dessie Hughes-trained Central House capitalised on the absence of Moscow Flyer to record a second Grade 1 success at Leopardstown in the Grade 1 Paddy Power Dial-A-Bet Chase yesterday.

Moscow Flyer, Ireland’s top-rated chaser, was ruled out of the race by his trainer Jessica Harrington when he and two stable-companions also scheduled to run yesterday, were found to have a “low grade respiratory tract infection.”

But Mrs Harrington is optimistic that her stable-star will return to action in the Tied Cottage Chase at Punchestown on January 30 en route to Cheltenham. Meanwhile, Central House, which won the ‘Dennys’ at the meeting last year after the fall of Kicking King, made every yard of the running under Paul Carberry to beat Native Scout, Native Upmanship and disappointing favourite Rathgar Beau, on which Tony McCoy deputised for the injured Shay Barry.